Auckland for the weekend

So last weekend I had the opportunity to head to Auckland New Zealand for a quick three night holiday. After spending more time in Sydney this summer then at home I needed a change of scenery. Due to the last minute nature of this trip my options were limited as to where I could go plane tickets were just too darn expensive. Although I’ve had an interest in New Zealand I’ve been more interested in the South Island, where Christchurch and Queenstown are located. But that that being said going to Auckland was something I was looking forward to doing and had a great time while there.

Knowing that I have someone at home to vacation with it’s odd for me to plan a solo vacation, so even thought I was looking forward to the trip I hadn’t done much else then book a hotel, flights and get a travel book. So based on my lack of preparation, I didn’t do too much and could have done tons more but I still had fun. Below are a few highlights from the trip, and picture to go with it.

The War Memorial Museum in Auckland was erected in the 1800’s and does a great job of giving the visitors a feeling of what New Zealand’s past was like with floors dedicated to Maori, the history of the country and its involvement in wars. I found the Maori culture beautiful and the songs and games fun to watch. They remind me of Hawaiian Islanders distant cousins, which they are. It was also interesting to see a very different perspective on WWII and other wars from a side other than America. Even though an Allie, they had a larger role in the Pacific Theatre and I feel what we learn in school, is mostly about Japan (the A-Bombs), Pearl Harbor and then mostly Europe. So getting a change to see what they went through was interesting, and get an idea of how these wars affected others not just us.

I also went to Cornwall Park and One Tree Hill one of the 52 volcanos in Auckland alone. Once tree hill, which no longer has a tree on it, due to vandalism, was a sacred place for the Maori and the land was given to the city to preserve over 100 years ago. The views were amazing and seeing the rolling green hills and wild sheep was just great. And for you U2 fans the song “One Tree Hill” from the Joshua Tree album was about a Maori rodie for the band who passed away in a car accident, and the song is about the Hill and about their friend.

The other really fun part of my trip was the flight home on Emirates Airways on the Airbus A380 the worlds largest passenger aircraft. As you’ll see from the pictures it’s a full double decker plane and I was fortunate to sit upstairs in Business class. The seat and privacy were amazing, it’s hard to believe that they make seats like this for a plane, when most of the time we’re stuck like sardines. Although the service was not that great the seat, entertainment and rest of the flight experience were better than I imagined. I mean how can you complain about a walk up bar and lounge for crying out loud. I know complaining about service while sitting in a lie flat seat drinking 15 year old scotch, makes me seem like some kind of snob. But hey if I don’t have anything to complain about what am I going to BLOG about?

Olives

Beer

Never knew this is what Tumeric looked like

Stuffed elephant from the 30’s

Exterior of an auditorium at the museum

Bees

Also at the Museum Zero #3844 a Mitsubushi A6M3 that was based in the South Pacific and after the war left for wreckage. Then in the 80’s lovingly restored.

At the War Memorial Museum they have a wall for POW’s to post notes from WWII, the first one I saw was from CA, go figure.

This is a photo of a photo from a National Geographic contest, I just love the sharks smile. Reported to be from a fish hook that deforms sharks when caught

Just plain wrong, don’t let my cats see this

My hotel in the distance

The city after dark

NZ1, this boat lost to Dennis Conner in 1988. It was a huge boat this picture doesn’t do it justice

I just like the look of this building

After the tree was replaced due to vandalism, the city put up a monumnet to the Maori peoples, and founders of the city

The view form One tree hill of the city

Cornwall Park Auckland, at the base of One tree hill

Cornwall Park Auckland, at the base of One tree hill

One tree hill, Auckland New Zealand

Hello there

There she is…

Heading to my seat

My seat and mini bar

Your in seat mini-bar, the only thing missing, the booze

The personal TV, pretty amazing about 18″

The shoe box below your footrest

The bar on the A380, yes you heard me, I said bar.

The comfort control (a giant remote) that controls the entertainment, your seat position, the message features and audio.